By Jorge Campos |Staff Writer|
Larry Sharp, former Vice President of Advancement at CSUSB, died on Monday Feb. 16.
For 27 years, Sharp ran the largest credit union in the region as president and CEO of Arrowhead Credit Union.
After a seven year long battle with colon cancer, Sharp died at Loma Linda University medical center, according to Inland News Today.
Sharp was a respected businessman, community leader, and philanthropist.
At 23, he began his credit union career as the general manager of Solar Federal Credit Union. After 14 successful years, Sharp took control of the San Diego Navy Credit Union, until joining Arrowhead Credit Union, according to legacy.com.
As the Arrowhead Credit Union President and CEO, Sharp also became a national leader in the credit union industry, advising political leaders and influencing everyday working people, according to legacy.com.
The California Credit Union League praised Sharp for his 45 year legacy of volunteerism and leadership that advanced the interests of the Golden State’s credit union movement and local Inland Empire community, according to Credit Union Times.
The federal agency placed Arrowhead Credit Union into conservatorship on June 25, 2010.
Sharp’s long and successful career as president and CEO of the company came to an end when he was fired by the National Credit Union Administration(NCUA) on July, 2010, along with three other executives, according to Credit Union Times.
In an interview with Credit Union Times, Sharp acknowledged that Arrowhead was struggling after the Inland Empire region increased in job losses while home values decreased. However, the credit union was on the road to recovery, according to Sharp.
The NCUA concluded Sharp’s performance projections were too optimistic, according to Credit Union Times.
Sharp was elected for a two year appointment as vice-president for university advancement at CSUSB where he began leading the school’s University Advancement Division about two weeks after losing his job at Arrowhead Credit Union.
“We are truly saddened by Larry’s death,” stated CSUSB’s President Tomas D. Morales. “When I first visited campus in June 2012, Larry was completing his second year in leading University Advancement. He immediately began connecting me to many of our friends in the community as well as public officials. That experience truly helped me launch my transition to San Bernardino. We offer our thoughts and prayers to his wife, Cassie, and the entire family.”
In October 2012, Sharp retired from that position, according to The Press Enterprise.
After he retired, Sharp stayed in touch with some of his fellow credit union leaders and continued championing the industry’s philosophy of people helping people, according to Credit Union Times.
Sharp was also well known for long term involvement with many political causes, including service as the past chairman of the political action group Inland action, according to The San Bernardino Sun.
Sharp’s contributions were recognized on multiple occasions including being awarded the Arrowhead Distinguished Chief Executive Award by CSUSB in 1998 and being named Business Leader of the Year by The San Bernardino Sun in 2000.
He also received the Excellence in Business Development Leadership Award in 2002 and the Donald Hagman award from the Southern California Association of Government in 2003, according to the legacy.com.
“Sharp did so much good for the community and the credit union will honor his memory with a sizable contribution to a local foundation,” stated President and CEO of the Arrowhead Credit Union Darin Woinarowicz.
“We will also be donating $10,000 to the Loma Linda Children’s Hospital Foundation, where he served on the board,” stated Woinarowicz.
A memorial service was held on Sat. Feb. 21 at The National Orange Show, Renaissance, according to the legacy.com.
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